Difference in RN education

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2015

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most nurses in the US don't know how nurse education is done in the UK, therefore we won't be able to tell you the differences. Why don't you tell us a little about how education is done on the other side of the pond and we can tell you how that's different from here.

azalight90 · Jan 1, 2015

Thanks that is a good idea

Firstly to be a RN you need a minimum of 3 year BSN although you can do a 4 year BSN with Honors

Also when deciding to go into nursing you are not able to just go for a nursing degree you must pick one of 4

Adult nursing- Looking after physical health of those 16 and up occasionally 15-14

Children and young peoples nursing same as above but only 0-16

Mental health- Working with any age of person who has a mental health problem

Learning Disability Nursing- Learning disability nurses aim to improve the well-being and social inclusion of people with a learning disability. This is achieved by:

improving or maintaining their physical and mental health
reducing barriers
supporting the person to pursue a fulfilling life.

You can get a 4 year course with 2 but they are very very far and few between and none in Scotland

Theory is provided by the university

Practical is provided by anywhere that registered nurses work. Must do some community and some in a hospital

The theory and practical is 50/50 in the number of taught hours

To be a nurse I must do a minimum of 2400 hrs of clinical practice or (as called here) placement. While on placement I must take part in nursing care of where I am placed.

(Going by my university) I am never visited by any university staff on placement. I have a staff nurse who has at least 1 years experience where they work and have taken a mentor course.

This mentor asses the student nurse and can pass or fail them on their placement. University staff will visit if a a mentor or another staff member as a concern about a student.

The student is assessed based on NMC guilelessness. This is in the form of a booklet that students take and it details what the university expect the student to learn/ achieve on that particular placement or year

I must work the same shifts as the mentor going by the NMC at least 49% of the time while on placement.

While on university theory I take different courses and exams. the pass mark for any piece of work is a minimum of 40%. The only time this changes is for drug calculation where the pass mark is a minimum of 100% correct.

First year is basic nursing and then year two and three focus more you branch ie Adult or Mental Health

For example my first 12 weeks of nursing school were as shown

Introduction to Adult nursing- year long

Anatomy and Physiology for nurses- year long

Introductory psychology and sociology for health and social care professionals 12 weeks long.

Any more you need to know just ask. This is all I can think of at the moment

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2015

Ok so the most obvious difference is that all nurses in the US are educated as generalists. No one graduates as an "adult nurse", "pediatric nurse", "mental health nurse", etc. we are all just nurses once we pass NCLEX. Where do maternity nurses fall in your system?

BSN in the US is a 4 year university based program. Other options for RN education are Associate's Degrees and hospital-based Diploma programs, though these are few and far between nowadays.

We, too, have theory and clinical components in our education. Most nursing programs involve clinicals in Adult Health, Maternity, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Community Health (though not all ADN or Diploma programs have this) plus a senior practicum. Only in the senior practicum do you work 1:1 with an RN. Other clinical placements you go with a group from your school and have a clinical instructor who works for the school who is in charge of you during the day.

40% is not passing anywhere in the US in any kind of program. Passing standards are minimum 65% in primary and secondary schools in the US but, for nursing programs, passing standards are usually 70-80%. It's kinda scary to me that someone could get through nursing school with less than half the competency they're expected to have and still graduate.

azalight90 · Jan 1, 2015

Firstly most degrees in the uk are 40% pass rate for a pass (bad one) but a pass. As the training is a degree the university is more or less forced to make the pass rate 40% however 99% of my tutors say that they hate it.

Also the uk has NO nurses anywhere near maternity. There is no such thing as Labor and delivery Nursing. Maternity is covered by Midwives. Midwifery is a separate direct entry course and only they deal with maternity.

Doctors also have nothing to do with maternity unless:

There is a pre excising health problem

There is a problem with labor

The midwife picks up on a problem during pregnancy

When I say doctors I mean specialists. For some things maternity people go to their Gp/ Family doctor

edit: 40% is a fail in high school exams in the uk

TLizS · Jan 1, 2015

It's interesting how different nursing education can vary....I don't think I would want to choose my "specialty" before I ever started my program.....I really have no idea where I want to end up working in the long run

azalight90 · Jan 1, 2015

I know that is what I think. I chose adult nursing for a few reasons

1- Most general

2- More places of work

3- General so a good grounding

4- If I want to change I can go back and study for two years with physical health knowledge behind me

Having branches is something that lots of people in the uk nursing scene hate. The uk is also the only country in the world with Branches

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jan 1, 2015

You have to look at your health care system is much different in the UK. And from what I understand, awful. Yours is streamlined with the NHS. Ours is not like that. We can go anywhere we want and get what I think is much better care in the US. That is why people from all over the world travel to the US for healthcare. I think we probably employ many more nurses over here. We do have specialties but that comes with time, additional testing, and expertise. We all start out the same. So you are really comparing apples to oranges. I can't imagine doctors not ever tending to maternity. What happens with a c-section? That is major surgery. A midwife here is a nurse and unable to perform surgery. Midwives here mostly work in birthing centers. I know some hospitals do have them now, but it is not mainstream. I loved my nurses when I had my son. They were the most awesome ladies ever and couldn't have done it without them!! Love labor and delivery nurses!!

azalight90 · Jan 2, 2015

A C section is something that midwives do call doctors for. It was one of the Emergencies I talked about. The doctors do deal with labor emergencies.

However the uk is more about normal births and the main person to look after women in the uk is Midwifes. Something like 80% of maternity care or primary maternity care in the uk is delivered by a midwife.

Midwives are practitioners in their own right in the United Kingdom. They take responsibility for the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care of women up until 28 days after the birth, or as required thereafter. Midwives are the lead health care professional attending the majority of births, whether at home, in a midwife-led unit or in a hospital (although most births in the UK occur in a hospital). There are two routes to qualify as a midwife. Most midwives qualify via a direct entry course, which refers to a three- or four-year course undertaken at a university that leads to a degree in midwifery (diploma courses in midwifery have been discontinued) and entitles them to apply for admission to the register.

Also I do not want to get into an argument but I have read this

In cost-effective terms, i.e. economic input versus clinical output, the USA healthcare system was one of the least cost-effective in reducing mortality rates whereas the UK was one of the most cost-effective over the period.

I prefer the Uk (Scottish health care system.) Yes you might have some better treatment but I just think of those who can not access any. Everyone in the uk can access healthcare I prefer that personally.

Comparing the USA, UK and 17 Western countries' efficiency and effectiveness in reducing mortality

AspiringNurseMW · Jan 2, 2015

Actually the majority of nurse midwives in the US work in regular OBGYN offices and deliver at hospitals. The majority of the midwives that attend birth center and homebirths and Certified Professional Midwives that never attend nursing school

AspiringNurseMW · Jan 2, 2015

A C section is something that midwives do call doctors for. It was one of the Emergencies I talked about. The doctors do deal with labor emergencies.
However the uk is more about normal births and the main person to look after women in the uk is Midwifes. Something like 80% of maternity care or primary maternity care in the uk is delivered by a midwife.
Midwives are practitioners in their own right in the United Kingdom. They take responsibility for the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care of women up until 28 days after the birth, or as required thereafter. Midwives are the lead health care professional attending the majority of births, whether at home, in a midwife-led unit or in a hospital (although most births in the UK occur in a hospital). There are two routes to qualify as a midwife. Most midwives qualify via a direct entry course, which refers to a three- or four-year course undertaken at a university that leads to a degree in midwifery (diploma courses in midwifery have been discontinued) and entitles them to apply for admission to the register.
Also I do not want to get into an argument but I have read this
In cost-effective terms, i.e. economic input versus clinical output, the USA healthcare system was one of the least cost-effective in reducing mortality rates whereas the UK was one of the most cost-effective over the period.
I prefer the Uk (Scottish health care system.) Yes you might have some better treatment but I just think of those who can not access any. Everyone in the uk can access healthcare I prefer that personally.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3147241/

You are totally right, our maternity health care system sucks. Many developed countries whose mortality rates are better than the US actually have midwives attending most low risk births. USA ranks what 40th in terms of maternity /neonatal mortality rates and yet spends the most money per person. And the only country who didn't improve I believe... Leaves much to be desired

azalight90 · Jan 2, 2015

Another thing I forgot to mention was this:

Student nurse Bursary. This means that as Student Nurses we get Â£540 ($830.95)every month. This is Scotland think England might be different. This is on top of having our university fees paid.

In Scotland we get this every single month of our nursing course and we do not pay it back. However we are not allowed/banned from taking out any kind of student lone. If we try we are rejected.

Should have posted earlier